The Rejuvenation of GOP Warmongers

With their party's resounding victory on Tuesday, some of the usual-suspect  Republican hawks in the Senate are feeling their oats and calling for bringing US military power to bear in Afghanistan and Iran.  A few days ago, John McCain used the Republicans' victory to demand that Mr. Obama forgo his timetable of starting a withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in July, or else risk losing the US's burgeoning relationship with India.  Notably, McCain decided to chum those waters right on the eve of Obama's very important trip to India.  Outstanding timing, John; bless your heart, nothing like stirring things up just as the president is embarking on a mission - accompanied by major players from same of the same corporations that probably fill your campaign coffers - with the potential of adding lots of jobs to the US economy.  Indeed, today's news is that Obama has spearheaded some major deals with India. As the NYT reports:

Here in Mumbai, Mr. Obama lavished attention on American business leaders who timed their visit to his and spotlighted $10 billion worth of deals between American and Indian companies that, the White House said, would support more than 50,000 jobs in the United States.

Then again, more jobs = more wage-earners paying taxes = more funding for the never-ending war and global-presence military that are like Viagra for McCain and his pals Lindsay Graham and Joe Lieberman.  And speaking of Graham . . .

He's up in Nova Scotia, claiming that we're past the time for a simple little "limited airstrike" against Iran's oh-so-dangerous nuclear program.  Indeed, says he, 

"Instead of a surgical strike on their nuclear infrastructure, I think we're to the point now that you have to really neuter the regime's ability to wage war against us and our allies. And that's a different military scenario. It's not a ground invasion but it certainly destroys the ability of the regime to strike back."

And as for the possibility of Iranian retaliation,

"You can expect that," he said. "You can expect, for a period of time, all hell to break loose. You must have to almost plan for that. And weigh that against the idea of a nuclear-armed Iran and what that means to the future of the world."

Excellent, Lindsay!  You betcha, we can plan for that - just like we planned so well for the aftermath of "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq back in 2003.  And sure, we can handle a third war.  A trifecta!  A cakewalk!  And with Yemen perhaps tottering toward failed statehood . . . well hell, why not four?  We're already pounding folks there with drones anyway!  How to pay for all the weapons and bases and soldiers?  Hey, I know, how about making permanent those Bush tax cuts?  Worked before, didn't it?

OK, isn't it Joe Lieberman's turn to thump his chest and stake out a new mission for the US military?  We're waiting . . . .

Truly, though, isn't it time once again to bring up David Petraeus' famous question: "Tell me how this ends."